United Nations report highlights significant increase in U.S. climate pollution
Countries are not doing enough to cut emissions that cause climate change, according to a new report from United Nations scientists.
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that → highlight → scientists
The U.S. sticks out as the only major economy where planet-warming pollution increased dramatically last year, the report notes.
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report → stick → economy
It finds that last year, the U.S. was tied with Russia as the G20 countries with the most per capita emissions of carbon dioxide and other planet-warning gases.
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U.S. → find → dioxide
China emits significantly more total greenhouse gases each year than the U.S., but has more than four times the population.
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China → emit → population
U.S. emissions grew because of increased electricity demand, as well as Trump administration policies that support the burning of fossil fuels.
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that → grow → fuels
The Trump administration has ordered coal-fired power plants in the U.S. to stay open longer than planned, rolled back fuel-efficiency standards for vehicles and ended tax credits for solar and wind projects.
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administration → order → projects
Those policies have made the U.S. an outlier when it comes to escalating greenhouse gas emissions, says Inger Andersen, the executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme.
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Andersen → make → Programme
"Right now, everybody is scrambling a little bit regarding energy security," Andersen says, pointing to global oil and gas disruptions stemming from the wars in Ukraine and Iran.
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Andersen → scramble → Ukraine
Despite the geopolitical upheaval, "several G20 members have shown sustained emissions reduction," she notes.
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she → show → reduction
That includes the European Union, which has invested heavily in energy-efficient appliances and renewable electricity sources such as wind and solar, partly in reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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which → include → Ukraine
The U.S. is pulling out of U.N. climate work
The Trump administration has withdrawn from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, and is working to remove the U.S. from all U.N. climate work, arguing the international system imposes unfair burdens on Americans.
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system → pull → Americans
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now says greenhouse gases do not pose a threat to human health and welfare, reversing its previous position.
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gases → say → position
The new report includes a statement from the U.S. government, saying the U.S. "does not endorse or agree with its analysis or conclusions, and has not provided comments to this report."
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U.S. → include → report
The U.S. State Department did not respond to NPR's questions.
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Department → respond → questions
The new report, which is compiled annually by an international group of scientists, comes less than a month before global climate talks kick off in Turkey.
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talks → compile → Turkey
World leaders will gather to discuss how to speed investments in clean energy and how to pay for the costs of dealing with climate change.
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leaders → gather → change
The Trump administration will not participate in those talks.
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administration → participate → talks
Still, whether or not American leaders formally participate in international climate efforts, the effects of America's reliance on oil, gas and coal are being felt around the world, the U.N. warns.
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U.N. → participate → world
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, trapping extra heat that warms the entire planet.
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that → burn → planet
The effects of all that pollution are felt globally.
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effects → feel → pollution
The Earth is about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) warmer on average than it was in the mid-1800s, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
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it → accord → Organization
That warming is driving widespread disasters, from deadly heat waves and floods to more intense storms and wildfires.
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warming → warm → storms
"All countries, especially the big emitters, must do more," says U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
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Guterres → do → more
"Every fraction of a degree matters.
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fraction → matter → degree
The Earth is on track for 5 degrees Fahrenheit of warming this century
Right now, the planet is on track for upwards of 5 degrees Fahrenheit (2.8 degrees Celsius) of warming this century, which would cause catastrophic impacts, such as massive sea level rise and the mass extinction of plants and animals, the report warns.
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report → cause → plants
The U.N. Paris Climate agreement sets a goal of limiting warming to well below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius), in the hopes of avoiding such cataclysms.
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agreement → set → cataclysms
This is the first year the annual report has acknowledged that even lower targets are now out of reach.
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targets → acknowledge → reach
However, it finds it is still possible to keep warming below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, if global greenhouse gas emissions fall by about 25% in the next decade.
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emissions → find → decade
But countries are currently lagging far behind that goal.
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countries → lag → goal
Under the Paris agreement, about two thirds of countries have submitted formal, up-to-date plans for cutting their greenhouse gas emissions.
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thirds → submit → emissions
If they all follow through on those plans, it would reduce emissions by about 15% in the next decade — far less than the 25% needed.
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it → follow → %
The Aporia
